Single-molecule force experiments in vitro enable the characterization of the mechanical
response of biological matter at the nanometer scale. However, they do not reveal the …

Hearing and balance use hair cells in the inner ear to transform mechanical stimuli into electrical
signals 1 . Mechanical force from sound waves or head movements is conveyed to hair-…

Mechanotransduction in vertebrate hair cells involves a biophysically defined elastic element
(the "gating spring") that pulls on the transduction channels. The tip link, a fine filament …

The proteins that form the permeation pathway of mechanosensory transduction channels
in inner-ear hair cells have not been definitively identified. Genetic, anatomical, and …

Mechanosensitive channels are a class of ubiquitous membrane proteins gated by
mechanical strain in the cellular membrane. MscS, the mechanosensitive channel of small …

The hair-cell tip link, a fine filament directly conveying force to mechanosensitive transduction
channels, is composed of two proteins, protocadherin-15 and cadherin-23, whose …

All-atom molecular dynamics simulations have become increasingly popular as a tool to
investigate protein function and dynamics. However, researchers are concerned about the short …

The vertebrate inner ear, responsible for hearing and balance, is able to sense minute
mechanical stimuli originating from an extraordinarily broad range of sound frequencies and …

Membrane transport constitutes one of the most fundamental processes in all living cells with
proteins as major players. Proteins as channels provide highly selective diffusive pathways …

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) is one of the most-consumed synthetic polymers, with an
annual production of 50 million tons. Unfortunately, PET accumulates as waste and is highly …